News24 | Vaal scholar transport crash: Murder-accused driver chooses not to apply for bail

Ayanda Dludla, 22, appears in the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court charged with 14 counts of murder linked to Monday's horror scholar transport crash in the Vaal.

• The driver of the scholar transport vehicle involved in the horror Vaal crash this week appeared in court on Thursday.
• He is now facing murder charges and has chosen not to apply for bail.
• The case was postponed to March.

The driver of the scholar transport vehicle involved in the horror Vaal crash that claimed 14 lives this week, has been charged with murder.

Ayanda Dludla, 22, made his first appearance in a packed Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.

He faces 14 counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder, one count of driving without a professional driving permit, one count of driving an unlicensed vehicle, and another charge of reckless and negligent driving.

Dludla appeared shocked when Magistrate Claudia Venter told him that he faced serious charges and needed legal representation.

Ultimately, though, he heeded her advice and requested Legal Aid representation.

READ | Vaal horror crash: Death toll rises to 14 as 2 more pupils die

He chose not to apply for bail and the case was postponed to 5 March for further investigation.

In the meantime, the media applied for permission to broadcast the proceedings.

Neither Dlulda nor the State opposed the application.

However, prosecutor Titus Daniso told the court:

Dludla’s appointed Legal Aid lawyer, Cathna de Klerk, pointed to the fact that her client’s image had already been shared on social media.

“He has no objection to media coverage,” she said.

After the proceedings, National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said investigators established that Dludla had allegedly acted with intent when committing the offence, which led to the murder charges.

“Culpable homicide is a lesser charge compared to murder. The evidence contained in the docket proves intention,” Mahanjana said.

Speaking on behalf of the grieving families, Themba Radebe, whose niece Buhle Radebe was among the 14 children who died, called for the arrest of Dludla’s employer.

Radebe said the tragedy should serve as a wake-up call to scholar transport operators.

“They must understand how serious this matter is. We lost 14 lives, including my niece. Vehicle owners must introspect before handing their vehicles to drivers,” he added.

Radebe said accountability was needed.

“The owner knew the vehicle was unroadworthy and that the driver did not have a professional driving permit (PDP). The owner should have been charged,” he said.

Radebe added that “nothing will ever fix this”, addind:

In an operation targeting unsafe scholar transport in Lenasia earlier on Thursday, 60 vehicles were impounded and two drivers arrested.

One driver was allegedly caught with 28 pupils in a nine-seater vehicle. Another allegedly had 24 pupils in a 15-seater vehicle.

Transport Minister Barbara Creecy was in attendance and said the vehicles were impounded for overloading, unroadworthiness, and because drivers were operating without the required permits.

Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane said operations of that nature should happen regularly.

“People must understand that what they are doing is illegal. They are non-compliant and are putting our children at risk,” Chiloane said.